The leaked proposals follow a Secondary Consultation carried out on the 2016 proposals during the period between 5 September 2017 and 2 October 2017
Again, did SF make a written contribution to the Secondary Consultation of the 2016 proposals consultation carried out by the Boundary Commission?
The difference between the 2016 and 2018 leaked proposals is that the 7 current SF constituencies are left safe for them in the 2018 proposals whereas the 2016 proposals ripped up the constituencies in the West held by SF.
The leaked 2018 proposals have the major changes to boundaries being applied to the safe DUP seats.
The main losers with the 2018 proposals are SDLP and Sylvia Hermon as South Belfast will remain unionist and North Down takes in Strangford but S Hermon may not stand again in 2022. So, the removed seat is taken from DUP but they know that they regain it at the expense of S Hermon. The constituencies electorates are being brought into line with the requirements of the Cameron legislation on electoral boundaries and all are being equalised in electorate size.
How is this gerrymandering by an 8 person independent commission?
The Deputy Chairman of the Commission is a judge of the High Court appointed by the Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland. The other two Commissioners are appointed by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland through a public appointments process. The Commission is supported in its work by a small Secretariat.
Chairman: The Speaker of the House of Commons
Deputy Chairman: The Hon Madam Justice McBride, DBE, QC
Members: Dr William Smith
Ms Sarah Havlin
Assessors:
Mr Alan Bronte, Commissioner of Valuation for Northern Ireland
Ms Siobhan Carey, The Registrar General in Northern Ireland
Mr Jim Lennon, Chief Survey Officer of Land & Property Services
Ms Virginia McVea, Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland
Secretary: Mr Eamonn McConville
The bigger issue is not the Westminster boundaries, it is basing the Assembly constituencies on the Westminster boundaries which will be redrawn every five years under the Cameron legislation to keep constituencies up to date with population shifts. With 17 constituencies, there will be a reduction from 90 MLAs to 85 MLAs - a good idea given the over representation we currently have but it will through everything in the air again when trying to work out how many DUP and SF can return to the Assembly and who will come out ahead.
The answer if this is a problem is to have a proper reduction in MLAs and move to the boundaries of the 11 local councils thereby creating a link between Councils and the Assembly for proper local government. With 8 MLAs per council area, almost 90 MLAs could be maintained.
